From Death Valley to Anne Arbor, Week Seven of this year's college football season provide an abundance of must watch games. Here are a few games you won't want to miss aside from No. 9 Texas' matchup with Baylor:
No. 2 Georgia at No. 13 LSU
Saturday, 2:30 p.m., CBS
This could have been a matchup between two undefeated SEC squads, but LSU dropped its first game of the season in a 27-19 loss at Florida last weekend. Tigers quarterback Joe Burrow threw his first two interceptions of the season — both in the final two minutes of LSU’s loss. But the team returns home to Death Valley with its 15th-ranked points per game defense. Georgia continues to roll, defeating each opponent by a minimum of two touchdowns so far this season. The Bulldogs’ strongest unit is also their defense, which only allows 13 points per game. Points may be at a premium in this matchup of defensive heavyweights, so don’t be surprised if the kickers play a monumental factor all afternoon.
No. 7 Washington at No. 17 Oregon
Saturday, 2:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN2
Oregon won every matchup over its northern rival from 2004–2015. But the series is now in the hands of the Huskies, who have pulverized Oregon by an aggregate score of 108-24 in the past two meetings. Both Washington and Oregon have one loss to their name, and it’ll be up to the quarterbacks to determine which team wins. The Huskies’ Jake Browning anchored the team to a playoff appearance in 2016, while the Ducks’ Justin Herbert owns the highest passer rating in the Pac-12, while averaging 10.4 yards per passing attempt. Stanford is still in the mix, but the result of this game is a strong determinant of 2018’s Pac-12 North champion.
No. 10 UCF at Memphis
Saturday, 2:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN2
The reigning national champions ride an 18-game winning streak into their battle with Memphis. The Tigers have proven to be UCF’s toughest challenge during this impressive run, forcing double overtime with the Knights in last year’s American Conference title game. There’s plenty of star talent on both offenses, as UCF boasts dual-threat quarterback McKenzie Milton (20 total touchdowns) and Memphis trots out running back Darrell Henderson. Henderson leads the nation with 934 yards — and he averages a ridiculous 11.8 yards per carry. The Knights have defeated every opponent by at least 20 to convince the playoff committee to take notice, but a visit to the Liberty Bowl won’t be a cakewalk.
No. 15 Wisconsin at No. 12 Michigan
Saturday, 6:30 p.m., ABC
The Big Ten is home to as many playoff contenders as any conference in football. New Year’s Six spots are limited, so Wisconsin’s trip to Ann Arbor holds high stakes for the outcome of the Badgers’ and Wolverines’ seasons. We haven’t seen high scores recently in this series, with Wisconsin edging Michigan out 24-10 in 2017 and Michigan winning 14-7 in 2016. Offensively, the stars to watch are running backs Jonathan Taylor for Wisconsin (221 yards, three touchdowns vs. Nebraska) and Karan Higdon for Michigan (four straight games of 100 yards). Countering these backs are several All-American caliber linebackers, including T.J. Edwards for Wisconsin and Devin Bush for Michigan.
No. 19 Colorado at USC
Saturday, 9:30 p.m., FS1
Your day of college football watching doesn’t end after Michigan vs. Wisconsin. This week’s late #Pac12AfterDark showdown features the lone undefeated program in the Pac-12 and the reigning conference champs. Colorado has already matched its 2017 win total with a perfect 5–0 record. The lethal connection of Steven Montez to Laviska Shenault Jr., who averages an FBS-best 141.6 receiving yards per contest, has contributed to the Buffaloes’ offensive resurgence. Meanwhile, USC has won two straight after a sluggish start and remains a contender in a wide open Pac-12 South. The Trojans are led by senior inside linebacker Cameron Smith, who averages a team-high 9.4 tackles per game.
